A RIFT between Theresa May and Philip Hammond has deepened to an all-time low ahead of the the Budget, allies of the Chancellor have claimed.

Allies of the Chancellor claim his task has become a nightmare because of Mrs May's “hostile attitude” towards him which apparently surfaced during the feud between Mr Hammond and the PM’s former Chief of Staff Nick Timothy.

Mr Timothy has made repeated public attacks on Mr Hammond and only last week accused him having no “burning desire or imagination” to improve the lives of ordinary families.

A Hammond ally told the Mail on Sunday: “Philip feels that every time the PM stares at him, she is raging inside that Philip is still sitting there while Nick has gone.”

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One Treasury official is understood to have been so enraged by the attacks they he confronted Mrs May's aides over whether Mr Timothy was still acting under orders from Number 10.

But a friend of Mr Timothy told the Mail: “Nick hasn't even seen the PM since the Election. Hammond sees her several times a week.

“If he's worried about the relationship, he should think about his own conduct and performance.”

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The PM's former Chief of Staff Nick Timothy as been highly critical of the Chancellor

Allies of the Chancellor also claim he is being undermined by Brexiteers who want to install Environment Secretary Michael Gove in the Treasury.

Speculation increased when Brexiteers privately championed Mr Gove as an “intellectual who could challenge the Europhile orthodoxy” in the department.

Downing Street fears a misfiring Budget could threaten the stability of the Government – either through a Commons rebellion by Tories, or because disenchanted MPs will be spurred into adding their names to the list of rebel MPs who want Mrs May to step down.

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Michael Gove supporters want to see him in charge at the Treasury

Things you may not know about Philip Hammond

Wed, March 8, 2017

Philip Hammond will deliver his Autumn Statement to MPs at the House of Commons detailing the government's spending and taxation plans today